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Osun Community Stool: Contestant Alleges Fraud, Seeks Cancellation Of Govt-ordered Selection Process
Prince Ali Afolabi, a contestant to the stool of Aree of Iree from the Olubonku ruling house has alleged fraud in the selection process of a new monarch for Iree town.
Recall that in January, the Osun State Government released a White Paper ordering a fresh selection process for the town’s traditional stool.
“Specifically on Aree of Iree Chieftaincy, the substantive chiefs are enjoined to withdraw their suit before the Court to allow for the commencement of the selection process in line with due process and tradition,” the White Paper recommended.
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The move has not gone down well with the town’s kingmakers and some stakeholders who insisted that it was an aberration of tradition.
However, Afolabi, through a letter dated February 26, 2024 and addressed to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Osun, Dosu Babatunde, by his lawyer, Folorunso Apantaku, disclosed that due to the closure of courts, pending cases were yet to be withdrawn in conformity with the dictates of the White Paper.
Afolabi declared that the fresh selection process conducted on February 22, 2024 by the Boripe North local government area of the state, which purportedly produced Prince Ibraheem Oyelakin as the Oba-elect violated the rule of law and was not in line with the chieftaincy laws of Osun State procedure and the tradition of the town.
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While describing the selection procedure as a complete fraud, Afolabi noted that two kingmakers voted in the election that was supposed to have six kingmakers.
“Boripe North local government failed in its statutory duty to appoint warrant chiefs to replace the vacant kingmakers.
“Out of the four kingmakers alive, two voted while the two others voted in proxy, a situation that contravenes due process and rendered the exercise illegal and unacceptable,” he claimed.
Calling on the state government to cancel the fraudulent selection exercise, Afolabi disclosed that there was an injunction restraining the local government and the kingmakers of Iree town from taking any steps in the selection process of Aree of Iree pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Contacted, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, did not respond to a text message sent to him by Daily Post.
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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.
READ ALSO:Ladoja Coronation Date As 44th Olubadan Revealed
The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.
Details later…
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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.
These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.
The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
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By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.
The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.
“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”
Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.
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“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.
He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.
“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”
In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
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He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.
Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.
According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.
This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.
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